China's campaign to reduce single-use plastics began in January 2020, banning and restricting non-biodegradable single-use plastic products. The sudden ban led to a surge in the production of alternatives, especially biodegradable plastics. By 2025, China is expected to account for two-thirds of global production of biodegradable plastics.
However, as can be seen from the "Plastic Pollution Control Plan 2021-2025" recently released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China has not paid enough attention to biodegradable plastics. Instead, China's focus shifted to studying the impact and applicability of these materials and cautioned against blind expansion.
One of the challenges facing biodegradable plastics is that China's definition and standards are unclear. The current national standard in 2006 identified four types of degradable plastics, but it has not been updated since then. In addition, the 2020 guidance on the classification and labeling of degradable plastics lacks the binding force of national standards, resulting in uneven product quality.
The actual capacity of biodegradable plastics to degrade is also a concern. Even certified biodegradable plastics can only break down under certain conditions, with the rate of degradation depending on factors such as oxygen levels, humidity, temperature and the presence of microorganisms. Some biodegradable plastics, such as polylactic acid PLA, require industrial composting facilities to decompose efficiently, while some other biodegradable plastics barely degrade in water, making them no better for the environment than conventional plastics once they enter the water body. Extended reading: Polylactic acid PLA can be home compost!
In addition, the lack of effective waste management systems for degradable plastics hinders their proper disposal and degradation. The cost of biodegradable plastics is much higher than conventional plastics, making large-scale implementation financially challenging. In addition, the lack of a reliable logistics system to transport biodegradable plastics from households to appropriate waste treatment facilities further complicates the problem.
As a result, Chinese policymakers have cooled their enthusiasm for biodegradable plastics. The focus has shifted to reducing plastic consumption in other areas, such as e-commerce packaging and government procurement. For example, the use of mulch in the agricultural sector, much of which ends up as "white pollution" in the environment, is seen as a more promising application for biodegradable plastics. Extended reading: 30 million acres of full biodegradable mulching film, very high certainty
To sum up, the future of biodegradable plastics in China remains uncertain due to various challenges. The lack of clear definitions and standards, coupled with limited degradation capacity and inefficient waste management, has led to a shift in the stance of Chinese policymakers. While biodegradable plastics may have potential in specific applications, it is clear that more research and improvements are needed to ensure their effectiveness and environmental benefits. At the same time, efforts to reduce plastic consumption in other areas are gaining momentum to address the pressing issue of plastic pollution.
